The present invention is concerned with a cleaning/-disinfecting composition incorporating spore forming microbiological bacteria.
Biological based products not only offer facilities a method of quickly re-establishing a system""s biomass after shocks, but they are also becoming more prevalent as a means to prevent such situations and improve overall performance through continual maintenance dosages. Continual treatment with a biological based product provides enhanced abilities to handle difficult to degrade compounds, reduce solids loading, improve removal of FOG""s (fats, oils and greases) and extend the time period between physical pump-outs in certain systems such as septic tanks.
Current technology does not offer a product or method by which water hardness deposits can be efficiently removed from surfaces while concurrently providing viable bacterial cultures to the facility""s waste collection and/or treatment system.
The object of the invention is to provide a product suitable for removal of hard water deposit and general cleaning that through use will actually augment the activity of on-site wastewater treatment operations instead of interfering as can occur in many cases. The product is a combination of an acid based cleaner/disinfectant that incorporates a stabilized culture of bacterial spores.
The utilization of the microbial materials is to destroy offensive odors and their source that may be present on a surface. In addition, the microbial materials provide preventative maintenance for the wastewater collection system and improved activity in downstream treatment plants. The purpose of the antimicrobial component is to kill various types of microorganisms found on the surface which might pose health concerns or contribute to nuisance odors. A particularly important aspect of formulating antimicrobial products is that they remain stable for a long period of time. The microbiological materials likewise need to be stable in the presence of the other components of a cleaning composition such as the quaternary ammonium compounds.
It is an object of the present invention to obtain an effective disinfectant and hard surface cleaning composition that is aqueous based.
It is an object of the present invention to obtain and utilize in combination a disinfectant, hard surface cleaning, and bacterial composition that is stable for a long period of time, but also allows the microbial material to remain active after the intended use of the product.
It is an object of the present invention to utilize an aqueous composition containing bacteria from the genus Bacillus in the presence of disinfectants such as quaternary ammonium compounds.
It is an object of the present invention to perform general cleaning tasks in a more efficient manner, whereby the multi-step cleaning process to clean, disinfectant and control odors on hard surfaces is decreased. The utilization of this invention will permit the saving of labor time and reduce chemical inventory.
It is an object of the present invention to utilize compositions in particular aerosol compositions that contain a bacterial content that provides better environmental fate attributes to both on site waste treatment systems and municipal treatment plants through biological augmentation of the indigenous bio-mass.
The following references may be pertinent to the invention disclosed herein.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,165,965 describes aqueous disinfectant cleaning composition using a Bacillus microorganism.
PCT Publication W097/25865 pertains to a sanitizing composition containing surfactant, a chelating agent, a preservative, a thickening agent and a Bacillus microorganism.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,449,619 pertains to a drain opener formulation containing a Bacillus microorganism and a surfactant as well as a preservative.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,839,373 pertains to preservative composition containing quaternary ammonium compounds in conjunction with a specific preservative, which is a derivative of benzothiazole in specific ratios.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,128 pertains to an enzyme detergent composition where the enzyme is a proteolytic enzyme.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,794 pertains to a liquid cleaning compound containing abrasive particles plus viable microorganisms. Such as, Bacillus, a detergent, thickener and an anti-settling agent. The composition is a cleaning composition. U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,546 pertains to a method for cleaning and disinfecting contact lens wherein there is a preservative which is a serine protease derived from bacteria belonging to the genus, Bacillus, a metal chelating agent and boric acid. Non-ionic surfactants are also described.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,731,278 described heavy-duty laundry detergents containing surfactants, non-surface active liquid carrier compositions, viscosity enhancing agents and enzymes.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,387 describes aerosol antimicrobial compositions. PCT Publication W097/16541 described an alkaline protease, which describes a strain of Bacillus and which shows a stability in the presence of surfactants.
PCT Publication W097/38586 discloses a method of preventing the growth of microorganisms other than Salmonella on meat products by contacting the meat product with a microbial growth inhibiting amount of a quaternary ammonium compound together with a microorganism, such as Bacillus.
International PCT Publication W099/16854 presents a ready to use thickened acid cleaner and disinfectant.
Numerous antibacterial compositions are available in the trade which do not contain the spore forming compositions as described herein. Such materials are Foamy QandA (trademark of Spartan Chemical Company) for an acid disinfectant cleaner containing phosphoric acid and alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chlorides with a pH of less than 2. See also NABC plus IV (trademark of Spartan Chemical) for a natural acid bowl and porcelain cleaner having a pH of 1.5-2 containing citric acid. See also SparCling (trademark of Spartan Chemical) for a restroom disinfectant containing hydrogen chloride and N-alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chlorides.
Described is an aqueous cleaning and disinfecting composition comprising:
an effective mineral dissolving amount of an organic acid of at least 1% by weight of the cleaning compositions;
an effective amount of a spore forming microbial composition;
an effective cleaning amount of a blend of wetting agents, the first wetting agent having a hydrophobic/lipophobic number (HLB) of about 10 and higher and a second wetting agent having an HLB number of about 5 or less;
an effective amount of a thickening agent and water.
Also described is a method of cleaning a soiled hard surface comprising applying the above composition to the surface and drying the surface thereby cleaning the surface.
The composition as described above is particularly useful for the overall desires of the present application for cleaning and disinfecting hard surfaces.
Also described is a powder composition containing the active ingredients of the organic acid, spore forming microbial composition, blend of wetting agents plus additional filler.
Also described is an aerosol composition containing the active ingredients of the organic acid, spore forming microbial composition, blend of wetting agents, thickening agents and a propellant.